Russian President Vladimir Putin and Northern Korean leader Kim Jong-un showed their reinforced anti-West empire last week by touring Pyongyang in a Russian-made Aurus car, laughing and joking together. The luxury coupe, which was unveiled in 2018, was intended to represent Russia’s private functions and lessen its reliance on imported goods and technology.
But, customs data reveal that the Aurus car manufacturer uses millions of dollars worth of imported components, many of which are imported from South Korea, which Kim has described as his country’s “primary foe,” according to Reuters news agency. These exports demonstrate Russia’s persistent dependence on Western systems as it navigates American efforts to cut it out of global supply chains as a result of its invasion of Ukraine.
As per the Reuters report, between 2018 and 2023, Russia imported equipment and components worth at least$ 34 million for assembling Aurus cars and motorcycles. This included auto body parts, cameras, programmable devices, switches, welding equipment, and other elements fair almost$ 15.5 million from South Korea, as well as pieces from China, India, Turkey, Italy, and other EU countries. Foreign supplies for Aurus continued even after Russia’s full- scale invasion of Ukraine, with goods worth almost$ 16 million, including$ 5 million produced in South Korea, imported since February 2022.
Following the migration of some foreign carmakers from the Russian market since the war, Aurus Motors started standard production in Russia’s Tatarstan territory in 2021 and plans to start more manufacturing in St Petersburg later this year at Toyota’s past factory.
